Collateral Duty
by Prince-Vermin
Summary: A series of drabbles set after ToV, inspired by some of the art in the credits at the end. Yuri sneaks into Flynn's window even though he's still wanted in Zaphias, and they struggle to maintain a relationship despite very differing duties. Pairing: Yuri/Flynn
1. The Visit

As relations between the guilds and the empire continued to settle, Yuri and the rest of Brave Vesperia had done their best to serve as a force for unity. Like a bridge connecting two of the vastly varying continents of Terca Lumireis, Karol and Yuri's guild had worked to run information back and forth between sides, hoping to help further strengthen the shaky relationship between the freespirited guild members and their more law-and-order focused counterparts.

The last time that Yuri Lowell had been in the capital had been a few days prior, picking up the initial letter from Lady Estellise Commandant Flynn Scifo closed the door to his room in the palace. Exhausted after reuniting with Ioder and giving his report, he had managed to retire to his apartment and had a bath drawn. It wasn't a bad day despite the fact that the last tour had gone on a good deal longer than he had meant for it to. In the end, Flynn had refused to withdraw while the citizen's militia wasn't strong enough to hold off any monster attack that might occur. Despite being the commandant of the entirety of the empire's forces, he still had the heart of the young knight who had risen up from the lower quarter, and that put him in a very different mindset from that of many officials who might have had more corrupt motivations. Flynn could have had as many servants as he wanted, and wouldn't have had to struggle with things like something as simple as his armor's straps if he would so much as speak the word. Yet here he was, slowly working at the buckles on his own. and the council. He offered to take it to Nordopolica himself so that he could rendezvous with Karol and make sure that he wasn't getting overwhelmed with all of the new volunteers wanting to join Brave Vesperia. It was always good to be back in Zaphias, even if the lower quarter had changed so much since the start of his journey. Home was home, and Yuri had a bounce in his step as he walked down the steep hill leading down to the main square with Repede at his side. There was the sound of armor echoing off of buildings that lead him to step aside almost habitually; after all, he was still technically a wanted man. Yuri watched as the detachment passed him where he hid away in the shadows. It caused a small smile to creep over his lips as a new plan developed in his mind. After all, Yuri needed to go to the palace anyway in order to let Estelle know that he had successfully delivered her letter to Natz. All he needed to know, he knew from the colors of the raiment that the knights wore with their armor; cornflower blue and white.

Flynn had barely slipped out of his heavy gloves when he was startled by the sound of his window scraping open. With it, came a single long leg with a worn and rather familiar grey boot at the end of it, searching for purchase. He knew right away who it was sneaking in his window, but the audacity of the move left him blinking stupidly even as Yuri's body joined his leg (along with the other one, gratefully). The knight rubbed his face with his bare hand, shaking the other one out of its armor with an almost absent minded motion. He gave a lop-sided grin before stepping forward to greet his friend.

"Yuri! I didn't think I'd see you in the capital. I guess as usual, those wanted posters don't intimidate you even a little," he teased gently.

"And look at you! The youngest commandant in a hundred years and you don't even have some cute servant girl to help you out of your armor?" Yuri sniped right back.

It was always like this; it didn't matter how long it had been since they'd seen each other. Yuri and Flynn's relationship always just picked itself up right where it left off, threads weaving together as strong as ever. As Yuri watched him, Flynn's eyes grew distant, giving his big blue eyes the look of a puppy who had lost its master. Since the battle against Duke and the Adephagos, it had seemed more and more that Flynn got that look on his face, and Yuri would always move to remind him that his direction was his own now. Sometimes it took words; other times, not.

This time, Yuri pressed his lips into a thin line, pushing his long raven hair over one shoulder as he approached the other man. Without a word, he reached out and took Flynn's arm, lifting it as he began to unfasten the buckle on the underside of the bracer that protected his forearm. Pale brows furrowed as Flynn gave Yuri a look of pure confusion, and he wasn't sure if he was meant to fight Yuri off or not. He was too tired to be bothered with it, and maybe it showed in the way his shoulders slumped. Yuri didn't tease him but didn't explain himself either, only continued to expertly strip the other man of his armor until he stood in just his tunic and greaves.

"I didn't earn this position, Yuri. Do you think a guy from the lower quarter would ever get used to having servants anyway?"

Now, Yuri looked up at him from the floor where he was kneeling, unfastening the big metal plates that encompassed his friend's legs and protected the arteries in his thighs. When he was done, there was a pile of plate armor on the floor next to them, and Yuri was sure that wasn't where Flynn kept it, but that wasn't the point. Slowly, he straightened up and met the blond's eyes.

"You earned it just fine on your own. You stayed alive while everybody else happened to bite it early, and the people just wouldn't have anybody else after Alexei. It wasn't me-"

Rather than try to argue with Yuri like he had a hundred times before on the matter and end up in a fist fight with him, Flynn pressed a finger to his friend's lips to stop him, his own expression stern.

"No. You're the real hero, Yuri. Our world would be history without you. I should be the one pampering you, not the other way around." Flynn was stubborn; always had been.

That comment made Yuri burst into laughter, and he doubled over with the force of it, his smile lighting up his face and bringing a bit more life into him. It was rather ironic, really, but in the end, what could he say? Words that Flynn had said some time ago stuck with him and rung like a bell in his head. Maybe in the end, Yuri really did always choose the worst thing for himself. It had started out as a desire to help people. If he could make someone else better he'd do anything it took, even if it went against everything he believed in and wanted for himself. Maybe, just maybe, there was a part of him that had forgotten how to do anything but that. Even when it wasn't necessary, as a fail safe, Yuri simply chose whatever was worst for himself.

For a moment then, he wondered why he didn't settle down. Probably the same reason that Flynn kept going out to exterminate monsters even though he was now the acting commandant. Sighing quietly, Yuri looked away from his friend and shook his head, having regained his composure.

"I just did what I had to do," was Yuri's rather weak retort.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself. You're going to end up making yourself miserable." There was a pause in which Flynn seemed to be struggling for words. He continued a moment later, leaning closer to Yuri as though trying to read something that was not immediately evident. "Are you miserable? Sometimes I think you must be, and I can't stand it." Flynn's voice became strained in that way that it did only when he was starting to get angry. It was a special kind of anger that usually ended in the two of them in a tangled sweaty mess on the floor, too exhausted to throw another punch for all of their pulled muscles.

"Your bath's gettin' cold." Yuri said, trying to defuse the situation before it went any further. The last thing he needed was to be found in the castle at the site of a loud disturbance.

Flynn didn't respond verbally, his lips set in a tight line as he regarded his friend with a stubborn frigidity. When he didn't move to rectify the problem, Yuri gave him a sharp look and just as stubbornly went to unfasten the cape from the blond's tunic, tossing it aside as he then shifted to remove the tunic as well. Again, Flynn didn't fight him but didn't exactly help him either. Now in nothing but the tight black underclothes he wore beneath his armor, the commandant stared his friend down defiantly. This was a different way to sate his taste for conflict, and Yuri recognized this easily.

Yuri chuckled and grabbed the hem of Flynn's shirt before tugging it roughly over the other man's head, exposing his fair but well-toned back. At first, he wasn't that interested in looking until the recent bruises and old scars caught his eye. Yuri wondered how many of the new ones told stories that he had no part in. He wondered how many of Flynn's stories he had missed completely now simply because he had chosen to walk such a different path. It settled itself as a dull ache in his chest, and he almost refrained from pantsing the other man on account of the pain in his heart.

Almost.

That forced Flynn to come out of his sulk with a grunt, and he nearly tripped and stumbled in his rush to get away from Yuri, but it was too late. The soft fabric of his pants were around his ankles, and Yuri was forcefully hefting him up into his arms, ignoring the taller man's flailing limbs as he moved around the folding screen set up in the corner of the room that separated his bathroom from the rest of the living space. Kicking aside Flynn's pants with a grin, Yuri dumped him unceremoniously into the hot bath, watching with a pleased grin as he splashed about and spluttered trying to right himself.

"Yuri! This is NOT funny!" It was his pride that was injured more than anything, Yuri knew. He smirked as he grabbed a pitcher from the nearby table and proceeded to dump more water onto Flynn's head for good measure.

"Jeez, it must be really hard to get good help around here, if the commandant has to be bathed by some crummy criminal off of the streets." That comment diffused Flynn's anger somewhat as he looked up at his friend, trying to decode what it was that the other man might actually be trying to say. Yuri was often very straightforward, but he could also be incredibly clever when he didn't want to come out and say something.

Seeing the other man relax a little bit, Yuri unfastened the bangle bracelet that had once been his bodhi blastia and sat it aside on the table before further rolling up his sleeves and grabbing some lavender soap from the shelf on the wall. He put some of the gel in the palm of his hand before proceeding to put it in the other man's hair and start to lather it. From what Yuri could tell, Flynn was completely dumbfounded.

"But...why?" he finally managed.

"Why what? I have no idea what you're talking about." Yuri didn't think twice about rendering this sort of service to someone, least of all Flynn.

Any trace of anger was gone from the blue eyes that tried to watch what Yuri was doing. Flynn looked somewhat smaller like this, almost childlike while Yuri scrubbed away the grime of the battlefield, washing away the smell of sweat and metal and blood. There was something symbolic of that, and it moved Flynn in a way that he couldn't really describe, nor would he want to try to. Finally, he found words again.

"They're doing great, you know. All of the outlying provinces. Everyone is learning to live without the barrier blastia, just like you said." Yuri smiled at that, tilting his friend's head back to carefully rinse his hair.

"Well, it was our choice to keep living, right? I think every person will deal with that burden in a different way."

Flynn craned his neck to look behind him, reaching up to tangle his fingers with Yuri's. He squeezed the other man's hand gently while trying to avoid a direct glance. After a moment of lingering, he then pulled away with a rather awkward shrug before folding his hands in his lap. Yuri continued on in silence until he was content with the smell of soap hanging in the room and the water was starting to go tepid. Only when he was happy with how wrinkled Flynn's fingers were did he get the towel for him. Yuri held it out with his arms and watched as the other man gingerly stood from the water before enveloping him in both.

A few minutes later, Flynn was wrapped warmly in his robe (standard palace issue, it seemed, and a bit threadbare), and Yuri looked rather pleased with himself. Flynn himself had a strangely content air about him, like a kitten with a warm lap to curl up in.

"You look tired. I know you are. Have you had anything to eat?"

Flynn shrugged and shook his head at that. "I just want to get some sleep while I can." That made sense enough. With another soft smile, Yuri reached out to straighten out Flynn's robe even though it didn't need it.

That fondness was something that had grown from a seed into what it was now, nourished by years of friendship, a strength that surpassed differences and distance alike. Flynn was one of Yuri's biggest weaknesses, and he knew it. Really, Yuri was the type who might give the shirt off of his back to anyone (so long as they had earned it and were truly in need), but for Flynn, the sky was the limit. Yuri took a deep breath then and made sure he was meeting Flynn's eyes.

"Hey, I know I give you a hard time about this stuff but...I keep thinking that I wish we could leave all of this stuff behind at least for a little while. The guilds, the empire." But who were Flynn and Yuri without the Knights, or without Brave Vesperia?

"Are you asking me to go away with you?" Flynn teased gently, taking a step forward.

Just then, there was a hard rap on the door. "Commandant Flynn?" That was a voice that Flynn and Yuri both knew.

Flynn thought quickly and spoke. "Y-Yes, I'm here."

The doorknob turned and Yuri sprung away from him, darting behind the folding screen just in time to be out of sight when Sodia entered the room, carrying papers that Flynn was sure to be asked to fill out. After a good night's sleep, of course, she allotted.

Sodia was alerted by a scraping noise, and she rounded the screen to see the window over the bath hanging open, a jewelled cuff that she thought she recognized from somewhere left behind on the table in the corner. Flynn assured her that there was nothing wrong, and that the window sometimes didn't latch properly. She said she'd make it a point to make sure the castle sent a repairman.

In the end, Flynn was just glad to get rid of her and any other distractions as he collapsed into his bed, paperwork ignored. On the pillow next to him was Yuri's bodhi blastia that had once belonged the the captain that they had both served under so many years ago. His heart ached like it always did when Yuri had come and gone. Flynn buried his face in the pillow, his fingers curled in the curve of the cuff. Part of him wondered if Yuri would remember that he had left it behind and come looking for it, and despite everything in him that told him to be reasonable, Flynn kept his eyes open long past when they were drooping and begging for sleep in the hopes that Yuri would crawl through his window again.


	2. Poison

It had been almost two unbearable months since Yuri had last imposed himself on Flynn, and the commandant was still carrying his displaced bodhi blastia, even though it clashed with his uniform. Never had he been so bothered by something as simple as separation. For years now, he and Yuri had always been in different places doing different things. It had been that way ever since the other man had left the knights. Back then, he felt like they were just kids, nothing more than babies. So much had happened since then, even though only a few years had passed. Sometimes, Flynn wished that he could turn back the clock long enough to stop Yuri from leaving. In the end though, he wondered if he could have ever hoped to so much as to sway the other man.

Long missions to survey the cities under the empire's protection and their defenses had become the norm for Flynn, punctuated by fitful nights spent back in his room at the capital. He always hoped to run into Yuri, always looked for a chance for their paths to cross, even if they might never become the same again. From what he'd heard, Brave Vesperia had been just as busy as the knights, going here and there when they heard about monsters threatening the people in order to take them out. As always, Flynn was proud to call Yuri his friend, wanted criminal or not. For Flynn, however, those feelings had started to become something confusing for him. He had lost the ability to name what it was he felt towards Yuri, and he knew that it was just a question of time. Everything evolved when given enough time, right?

This tour left him feeling much better about Halure's defenses, and that was a weight off of his mind. The small town usually thrived off of its annual tourism, and the new addition of a small barracks for a town militia was hard to get used to for the common folk. Flynn was just getting ready to give his men the word to prepare to head back to the capital when he caught sight of something in the distance. It only took him a few moments to recognize it as the "flagship" of Brave Vesperia, and the Entelexeia that carried it for them.

Flynn rushed out to meet them with petals from the Halure tree stuck in his hair. The ship hovered near the town entrance, and he was there to greet Judith as she climbed down, regarding the Krytian woman with respect and a bright smile.

"What brings you to Halure?" he asked before she could say anything. There was hope in his eyes that told Judith that the news she had come with would be a painful blow. It wasn't in her usual demeanor to be gentle with feelings, but it was likely that even the unflappable Judith was a bit shaky, the color drained from her face. She stared blankly at Flynn for a moment, and his heart sank simply from the look she was giving him.

"I need you to come with me. I thought it might be hard for you to leave your duties behind so you can say you've been kidnapped if you need to. I just... If you don't come now, you might not have another chance."

Judith's words were like needles, and for a moment Flynn felt like he was going to be sick.

"What happened? What happened to Yuri?"

He knew that Judith was perceptive. There wasn't any one else in the world who he'd want to be notified about like this. The commandant didn't wait for her response; he was already past her and on his way up the rigging and onto the ship. Judith herself didn't waste any time calling out to Ba'ul and sending them on their way to the nearby town of Capua Nor.

Brave Vesperia had taken a plea from some men who had discovered some nearby tunnels which contained a rich iron vein. As they had opened up new tunnels, more and more strange monsters had poured out of the chasm that they had opened up. These creatures had a stinger that contained a dangerous toxin, and the venom was something that they had never seen before. There was no antidote as of yet.

Along with the Hunting Blades, Brave Vesperia had delved deep into the caves in order to find the creatures' nest and wipe them out. Upon encountering the Queen, Nan had nearly fallen, and Yuri had put himself between her and the monster's stinger. Karol and Raven finished the fight before rushing Yuri back to Capua Nor and starting the search for an antidote. Raven had the foresight to send Judith to where Flynn was, which was luckily not far. Raven and Estelle knew better than the others what there was to be said about Flynn and Yuri's bond; if they couldn't find the antidote in time, then he wanted them to have their time to say their goodbyes.

Rita had turned up two hours before Judith and Flynn did, and she was hard at work to find a formula for a viable antidote. At that point, she said, it would be a race against time until Estelle could arrive. Flynn didn't waste a moment from the time his feet touched the cobblestones. He should have been taking in all of the changes that had occurred, how lively the town had become, but none of that touched his mind. Judith was on his heels until he burst into the inn, the other party members in the waiting room looking up at the commotion. Repede was at Flynn's side in a moment, urging him into the room where Yuri was resting from behind with his nose.

Ignoring the confusion of the local doctor, Flynn rushed to Yuri's bedside intent on doing something, anything. He could nurse him, he could keep him company; but in that moment, all he could do was stare at the figure of the familiar man in the bed. Yuri was pale save for the bright flush on his cheeks, his breathing labored and his long dark hair hopelessly tangled under his head from thrashing. His lips, usually pink and wearing at least the shadow of a smirk, were chapped and pale. Flynn still hadn't composed himself when he could hear Raven explaining his presence for him to the doctor.

Flynn took off his cape and draped it over the chair by the bed and tossed his gloves aside, glad that he wasn't wearing his full armor this time. His body moved before he realized it was doing so then, and he was sitting next to Yuri, gathering him up in his arms to hold him against himself.

"Yuri... Yuri, can you hear me?"

Never had Raven or his alter-ego seen Flynn so broken and tender, the usually rigid manner in which he conducted himself forgotten completely. Maybe, he thought, there were even tears in his eyes.

Yuri responded minutely, his eyelashes fluttering as glassy eyes peered out at nothing in particular. He wheezed, hand groping ahead of him. Flynn responded by taking his hand in his and holding it against his lips, kissing the fingertips. The action seemed to relax them both a good deal, if nothing else.

"How long?" Flynn turned his attention to the doctor. The old man frowned, stroking his beard before daring to respond.

"I can't be exactly sure, but I doubt he'll last another day."

Flynn felt like every muscle in his body was wound tight, as though every effort he could exert was there at his disposal. Yet here he was, and he could do nothing.

The commandant shook his head as though to deny the information. He looked pleadingly at Raven, and only then noticed Karol in the room, curled up miserably against the foot board of the bed. "Get Lady Estellise. Can't her healing artes save him?"

As Repede rested his snout on the covers by Flynn's thigh, Raven shuffled further into the room, his expression grave.

"We've sent for her, but we can only wait, now. She wasn't at the capital."

A strange, strangled noise left Flynn's throat and he buried his face in Yuri's ratty hair while his mind worked desperately for some kind of solution. Rita pushed her way into the room, demanding to see the wound and take samples. Flynn barely moved while they carefully shifted Yuri forward in order to examine the spot where the stinger had pierced his shoulder. She was gone almost as quickly as she'd let herself in, and everything was quiet save for the ragged breaths passing Yuri's cracked lips. Flynn chose to keep his hands busy by keeping a cool cloth pressed to Yuri's feverish forehead. His mind, however, was far more difficult to keep under control.

After everything they had been through, how could it be that something so simple as a monster could fell Yuri Lowell? Flynn cursed himself for not being able to protect him, and he cursed Nan for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he cursed Yuri most of all, for being the type of person who would always sacrifice himself. As another hour wore on, Flynn found himself sobbing into Yuri's hair, but it was just as quickly replaced by a rage that had him shivering with the effort it took to contain it. Finally, he was exhausted by the emotions tearing through him, and all he wanted was to see Yuri open his eyes again.

The sun was setting outside, and Flynn had lost himself in a distant fog and haze of denial; Yuri was just sick, and he'd be okay. That was the only thought holding him together as he struggled with the man in his arms, who had suddenly cried out in his delirium. Flynn shushed him and kissed his face, dabbing at his forehead with the cool cloth that had been left for them on the bedside table. Only then did Yuri's incoherent babbling finally form a few words that Flynn could understand.

"Please. Don't leave. I don't want to be alone. Please, Flynn." His words were slurred, but for the moment, he seemed to be somewhat lucid.

"I'm here, Yuri. I won't leave you, so don't you dare leave me. Lady Estellise is coming."

That was his only hope, and he knew it. Yuri nodded at that, and he even smiled though it seemed to be painful for him. Flynn cradled him close and kissed the corner of his mouth, just grateful to hear the other man's voice, even like this.

"I won't. I'm always right behind you." In a normal conversation it probably would have been teasing, but now, Flynn clung to those words desperately.

After that, Yuri went quiet again, shallow breathing the only sound in the room even though Karol had fallen asleep, curled up in the little ball that he was. Repede was close by as well, though the company gave Flynn little comfort. He himself had fallen into a fitful sleep, chin resting on top of Yuri's head when the door was suddenly flung open. The doctor was there again, protesting as someone elbowed past him. In that moment, Flynn could barely recognize Estellise, her white dress torn and filthy from riding.

"Yuri!" She met Flynn's eyes as she reached the bed. He knew that she was the only one of their friends who knew anything about his own feelings for Yuri. "Oh, Flynn..." There was nothing but compassion in her voice as she sat at the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch Yuri's face. "I'm going to try, okay? I'll give it all I've got."

Flynn nodded, holding Yuri tight as Estelle closed her eyes and reached out to the inherent power passed down in her blood. The light of her healing artes was familiar and soothing and more welcome than anything that Flynn could have imagined. He held his breath until he could see Yuri's breathing even out. Estelle herself was awash in relief, her eyes hopeful.

"Did it work?"

The doctor was hovering in the doorway, waiting for them to call him in. Flynn met the man's eyes, silently pleading for him to confirm his hope. The doctor merely kept his own eyes on Yuri, and after a few moments of this dreadful silence, Flynn soundlessly tightened his grip on the unconscious man again. He lowered his head and lost himself in a tangle of dark hair, as he himself would have been lost if Yuri were to die.

-

When Yuri finally managed to open his eyes, he wasn't sure where he was. What he did know was that Flynn was pressed against him, his face hidden in his shoulder. Yuri's body ached, and that was the only thing that told him he wasn't dreaming. With some difficulty, he managed to reach out and run his fingers through Flynn's hair. What had happened? The last the he remembered was making a desperate move to try to shield Nan from that creature's tail. It dawned on him then that he must have gotten stung by it. All the same, it didn't explain why Flynn was there.

"Hey..." Yuri spoke softly, not wanting to startle the other man.

Flynn's pale lashes fluttered as he opened his eyes, teary eyed from having the good night's sleep he didn't think he'd ever have again. Tightly, he was clinging to Yuri's middle, and he didn't let go even as he came to his senses. His heart was doing flips in his chest, so glad that Yuri was awake and talking.

"We thought you were going to die," Flynn said rather bluntly. He'd have to thank Estelle properly later, but right now, all he wanted to do was focus on Yuri.

Refusing to take the moment for granted, Flynn ran his fingers over Yuri's cheeks and through his hair, a small smile daring to show itself on his face. "Tch, like I'd die. I'm too stubborn to die, even though I hear I have a few people holding seats for me in Hell."

"Shut up! And don't you ever scare us like that again!" Flynn said haughtily, annoyed that the first thing Yuri could do was find sarcasm in the thought of his own potential death. For Flynn, that was something he simply couldn't joke about.

Yuri's eyes softened , and he returned Flynn's affection with a kiss pressed to the other man's lips, though he didn't linger. Yuri was self conscious of how dry and cracked his lips had become. The only thing that he wasn't self conscious about was the fact that he was wrapped up in Flynn's embrace. He closed his eyes, partly wanting to try to extend his stay. It was a turning point, he knew. There was a part of him that was frightened and a part of him that was darkly amused, but mostly, Yuri just wanted to keep this feeling. There was nothing complicated attached to it, nothing more than the desire to be with someone he loved.

"Yuri? Are you okay?"

He had a feeling that he was going to have to put up with Flynn checking on his well being to the point of futility for a while. For now, he'd put up with it. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just restin' my eyes."

Flynn nuzzled into Yuri's hair, closing his eyes as well. Everything was wonderful in that moment, especially the idea that he could simply close everything else out. Yuri nearly jumped out of his skin when there was a knock on the door.

"Commandant Flynn, Commandant Flynn!" Yuri groaned aloud at that, turning to hide his face in the other man's collarbone as Sodia let herself in.

"S-Sodia..." Flynn stammered, obviously at a rare loss for words. There was little he could say to defend himself in the situation.

His lieutenant looked affronted before pressing her lips into a hard line. "Your duties are waiting for you, commandant. We couldn't find you, so we were worried. You shouldn't take too long, please."

Flynn wilted, frowning as he gave her a nod. She took it as a cue to leave the room. Yuri didn't say anything. He was still tired and weak, wishing that he could just sleep for some indefinite amount of time, preferably with Flynn right where he was. There was no way that could happen, he knew, but it was still a selfish want that was very present in his mind.

"I don't have a choice," Flynn said softly before shaking his head.

"Go. I'm just gonna sleep for a week anyway." As the knight squirmed his way free, Yuri curled onto his side and watched him get up, collecting his cape and gloves.

"Yuri.. I'll have Raven send me word on your condition. Don't worry about anything but getting better." That made Yuri roll his eyes stubbornly before he went back to resting his head on the pillow.

"I don't need a babysitter. You'll see me when you see me."

"...Yeah. I get it." And Flynn was gone. His retreating back was the last thing Yuri saw for some time.


	3. Birthday

The road to recovery was a long one. Yuri wasn't able to go out into the field again for several months after the incident in the Nor mines. Rita was able to provide some information on the toxins that had nearly killed the guild leader, and explained that there was a possibility of nerve damage. That had proven to manifest itself in strange ways, for example: sometimes, Yuri's right shoulder would start to burn and tingle as though it had somehow fallen asleep, or he'd lose feeling in the fingertips of his right hand. Weeks wore on into months as the swordsman worked tireless hours alone to rebuild his strength and dexterity. No one was surprised when half a year later, Yuri was on his feet and at the head of Brave Vesperia's activities like he had never been hurt.

In that time, Flynn made frequent stops to visit his friend during his recovery. Their visits were always brief and seemed to follow the same sort of dialogue.

Yuri stood in the courtyard of the old abandoned manor that had once been used as a base for Yeager's men. He swung his sword in the same motion over and over again, brow drawn in concentration. A bead of sweat collected at his temple and then slipped down to his chin, obscured by his hair. Flynn watched in silence, dressed in a simple powder blue tunic and dark leggings, his heavy boots scuffing against the worn cobblestones beneath his feet. Flynn moved towards his friend, expression settled somewhere between quiet gentleness and amusement. He cleared his throat in order to gain Yuri's attention.

"You came," It wasn't a question, but a gentle affirmation that fell from the swordsman's lips in little more than a grunt.

"Yeah, and you never rest, do you?" Flynn asked, a hint of concern in his voice. Controlling his emotions wasn't necessarily one of his strong points, and right now, he was barely holding back the raging worry he felt for his friend. It manifested as anger aimed at Yuri, anger directed toward the lack of care he always showed himself.

"Resting won't get me anywhere, you know. I'm gonna swing this sword until my arm's my own again." Repede lifted his head from where he was lounging nearby, sunning himself in the afternoon rays. Flynn looked at him and shrugged, a silent conversation passing between them for a moment.

"Well I don't know about that, Yuri. It might get you "not dead" and that's somewhere that we'd all really appreciate you being." Sarcasm dripped from the commandant's words.

"You want me to just sit around and waste away? That's not "getting better," mister knight-in-shining-armor," Yuri sniped in return.

With that, Flynn's lip curled and he suddenly drew his blade, stepping in to strike at Yuri. He managed to block the blow, returning the blond's snarl as he struggled to find his footing.

"I don't want you to waste away! I want you to realize that the thing that'll protect everyone else and make them happy isn't always the thing that'll hurt you the most! I want you to understand that there are people who love you for just being you, and you don't have to do a damn thing to prove anything to them!"

Yuri was taken aback, but he couldn't say anything. For the moment, his blade would speak for him. The sound of metal grinding against metal rang sharply and echoed off of the walls of the courtyard, and Yuri threw his full weight into pushing back against Flynn. The knight grunted and dragged his blade down his opponent's, stepping away to the left in an evasive maneuver before thrusting forward.

With all of the grace that he was known for, Yuri spun on his heel, dodging the blow with enough leeway to bring the pommel of his blade down onto the blond's hand, effectively disarming him. Pain flared in Yuri's shoulder, causing him to stop short. He couldn't feel his fingers for a moment, and the disorienting flash was just long enough for Flynn to throw himself bodily against the other man, sending his saber skittering across the old cobble stones. With a harsh grunt Yuri's back met the ground, and he gasped harshly to regain his breath. Simultaneously, he struck out at Flynn with a balled up fist.

Yuri caught the blond's ear with his knuckle, and then a delicate cheekbone. Flynn winced, squeezing his eyes shut as he saw stars and blindly tried to grapple with the other man's arms. Yuri squirmed beneath him, bucking his hips and snarling like a cornered dog.

"Enough! Yuri, enough!" Flynn barked, his mussed blond hair framing his rapidly bruising cheeks.

Yuri blinked up at him, as though only just realizing the damage he had done. He sobered up a little bit at that, muscles slowly relaxing under Flynn's weight. He knew that having lost, it was time to concede and give in to whatever the other man's demands were for the moment; that was always how their relationship had been. Whoever managed to beat the other into submission in a flash of anger got to drive their point home. More often than not, it had to be Flynn.

"Fine. Fine! Whatever it is, just say it already," Yuri groused, fully aware that he was being a bit of a sore loser.

"You listen to me, Yuri Lowell. You're not saving anybody by throwing your life around like it's some cheap throwaway thing. Every time you treat yourself like you're nothing, you... you break peoples' hearts! The people who love you... why don't you realize that you're the world? You're the brightest star in the sky to somebody." Flynn's face grew redder as he tried to make his point, blue eyes suddenly unable to keep their lock on Yuri's. "...To me."

For what felt like a very long time, Yuri was silent laying beneath the knight's weight on top of him. He was aware of the smell of Flynn's hair; that same lavender soap from the capital, the green light filtering through the ancient trees. Most of all, Yuri knew that his heart was pounding against the inside of his rib cage so hard he'd be shocked if Flynn couldn't feel it.

"Did you come all of this way to tell me that? To tell me...that I'm the brightest star in the sky...for you?" Yuri's words were halting, his ability to sort out what he wanted to express having escaped him nearly entirely.

After a few long moments, he simply sighed and wrapped his arms around the blond man, holding him tight and hiding his face in his shoulder. Yuri couldn't decide if he was happy or if he felt anything at all. Whatever was welling up in his chest was completely overwhelming; it was a wave that was likely to wash him away completely if he wasn't careful. Finally, Flynn interrupted the silence.

"I have to get back to the field, you know. I just really wanted to see you."

"And now you have. I'll... Look, I'll try to do better okay? So you don't have to worry so damn much." Yuri looked up at the tree above him as Flynn almost reluctantly got to his feet and then reached down to help him up.

It was then that Flynn started to send letters nearly every week, none of which ever got an answer. Yuri returned to the forefront of Brave Vesperia, a move which was widely spoken of and greatly celebrated. Flynn was simultaneously called back to Northeast Hypionia, sending the two friends to very different ends of the world.

Yuri's first day back in Zaphias came at a special time. It was his twenty-fourth birthday, and close to the third year anniversary since the defeat of the Adephagos. It was early afternoon when people first began to crowd into the Inn's pub in the lower quarter, knights and guild members alike pouring in for the chance to buy the guild leader a drink.

Flynn got back after pushing the detachment travelling with him twice as hard as he might have usually. No one knew why he was in such a rush to get back to the capital. Rarely was Commandant Flynn harsh with his men, and even rarer still was a chance to see him anxious. He wasted no time in changing out of his uniform, and made his way down to the lower quarter with haste. He didn't even give himself the usual time to reminisce, so concerned was he with the situation at hand.

Yuri's birthday wasn't something that had usually held much of a fuss for either man before. This one, it seemed, was a little extra special in regard to the man's brush with death. Flynn was bearing that in mind while he eyed the group that was crowded around outside of the front of the familiar inn. He almost lost his nerve at that moment, watching from across the street. The knight's boots scuffed against the pavement before he finally forced himself to cross the thoroughfare and enter the inn.

Inside, the crowd of bodies and call of raucous voices was even more crushing. Something about it was definitely an echo of his younger days, reviving memories of his time spent sharing a room with Yuri in that little outpost town that seemed so long ago. Maybe there was a reason that Yuri hadn't written him back. Maybe everything that had passed between them during that last encounter had been too much. Maybe, Flynn shouldn't have come at all.

Yuri was standing near Lady Estellise, smiling as he chatted with co-leader Karol. At a table in the corner was Raven, Judith, and Rita, drinking and laughing. Flynn had nearly made up his mind to walk out when Yuri's eyes locked with his. His lips parted uselessly; even if he had screamed it was unlikely that his friend could have heard him. Yuri smiled and sat his mug aside before crossing the room swiftly, pushing his way through the crowd. His cheeks were pink, flushed from the mead he'd been drinking. Maybe he really had had too much, as the first thing he did the moment Flynn was in reach was throw his arms around him and press their lips together.

It was Judith and Estelle whose watchful eyes caught the bold move, from the way Yuri inclined his head and parted his lips to the way Flynn's blue eyes were wide and shocked, his footing nearly slipping out from under him. They watched as Yuri pulled away and pressed his lips to the knight's ear, whispering something inaudible before leading the dumb-struck blond from the room.

Raven noticed the guest of honor's absence before almost anyone else, always observant beyond what people would expect of him. "Hey Judy, did ya see where the kid got off to?" Mostly it was out of concern for his well being, though he'd promptly disguise it as something else if he could.

"He went off with the commandant, not ten minutes ago," she said softly before smirking slyly to herself.

"Whoa, whoa what's with that look? Don't tell me something... unsavory is going on. Do I have ta go protect our Yuri's virtue?" They both laughed at that, but Judith gave the man a very serious look.

"You better let them be. I think they need some time. It's been a long time coming, don't you think?"

"Yeah, yeah. Like lotsa other things," Raven sulked at her, and the sound of Judith's laughter above the din was like clear bells.

-

The sound of the party made the floorboards vibrate slightly beneath Yuri's feet as he moved across the small room he kept at the inn. Repede was nowhere to be seen, likely distracted by the parade of people downstairs. Everything was bathed in the grey scale of moonlight filtering through the window that was only slightly warmed by hanging lights out on the street. Flynn stumbled after Yuri, a bit confused and taken aback. He hadn't expected such a reception, and definitely hadn't expected something like that kiss. He swore he could still feel Yuri's lips on his.

Yuri turned to look at his friend, hand still gripping his wrist as though he was afraid he might disappear somehow. Maybe, he thought, he might try to run out of sheer embarrassment. Flynn's brow was furrowed, his eyes awash in confusion. "Yuri, I don't understand. I... Why didn't you write me back?"

The question felt endlessly lame on his lips, like it was simply the worst and most pointless question he could have possibly asked. Yuri's cheeks flushed a deeper pink at that, and he looked away. Finally, he released the blond's hand when he was content that he wasn't going to turn and leave.

"I guess I'm... not really the type for writing." But there was one thing in the room that betrayed that; the small table in the corner was littered with papers, the waste bin overflowing with crumpled balls of parchment and stationery. Flynn saw it, but he said nothing. He was too busy fighting with the pounding of his heart, threatening to deafen him completely.

"I was afraid that you didn't want to see me. That what I'd said that time had been too much for you," Flynn admitted after a moment, scratching at the bridge of his nose.

Yuri shook his head rather animatedly, his inky black hair like the sky that enveloped the stars as it poured over his shoulder. "It wasn't that. It's just... I-" Again, Yuri's words failed him. His own feelings were something he always kept under lock and key. What he felt mattered far less to him than what others did, and even now when he wanted to express those feelings more than anything in the world, they refused to roll from his tongue. Yuri pressed his lips together and sucked in a breath, desperate for the ability to say what he absolutely must.

"I wanted you to know... I need you to know that I need you. No matter what. More than anything," he started. "There's just so much and... somehow, even when you couldn't understand what I was doing anymore... Flynn, you believed in me. I couldn't understand it. Part of me wished you'd hate me. I thought maybe that would be easier. If you just thought of me as another criminal you were hunting then maybe-"

"Maybe it would have been easier for you to throw your life away for somebody else. Like our captain. Like you're not worth the life he saved." Flynn was surprised at just how cutting his words were. Part of him expected a swift punch to the face, instead, Yuri looked at his own feet and then quite suddenly, Flynn was wrapped up in his arms with the other man's cheek pressed against his.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm like this. I'm sorry that I make you mad with worry and that you have to watch me hurt someone you care about." Yuri was talking about himself of course. There was a soft sound as he tried to compose himself before speaking again. "I can only do what I can do. I don't know if I can ever think any differently, but for you? For your sake, and for all of the friends I've made? I want to try."

There weren't any words that Flynn could think of to reply to that. Usually, they'd have come to blows over this by now, and he felt at a loss. Instead, Yuri's hands were in his hair, and he was pressing warm kisses along the blond's jawline. Flynn's breath hitched in his throat as his head fell back. He nearly stumbled, and Yuri wrapped his arms around the other man's waist, letting their momentum carry them both closer to his bed. Again Flynn startled, this time as his calves bumped against the bed's thick wooden frame. Yuri's hands on him were insistent, pushing him back. For a change, Flynn chose to yield to Yuri rather than fight against him, and slowly lowered himself onto the mattress.

"Yuri, I...don't understand," he muttered haltingly.

Yuri shushed him and shook his head, fingertips wandering down the knight's front as he picked at the belt on his blue and white tunic. Flynn swallowed around a lump in his throat that he hadn't realized was there, those big blue eyes reflecting moonlight as Yuri ever-so-slowly settled his weight over him. Yuri had always thought of his friend to be so incredibly above him; more handsome, better with a blade, more charismatic. Flynn was everything that Yuri couldn't be, just as he had turned out to be the same, a stark opposite and a darkness to compliment rather than conflict with Flynn's light.

In this moment, the image of Flynn's blond hair framing his face and the way the moonlight made him seem so pale was the most beautiful thing that Yuri could remember seeing, even more beautiful than he had thought his first ever glimpse of the expanse of the ocean. As he unfastened the knight's belt, Flynn's hands slipped up to take gracious handfuls of Yuri's long and thick black hair. That made a small smile break out on Yuri's lips, and for once, it was free of mocking. The thought of Flynn grabbing handfuls of his hair was somehow more arousing than he might like to admit, and he thought he'd like to encourage it further.

Yuri pulled Flynn's belt free and tossed it to the floor with a dull thud, ignoring a particularly loud cheer coming from the room below. Maybe Raven was having drinking contests with Judith again, or something equally ridiculous. That however, was the furthest thing from Yuri's mind as he began to make work of the buttons that held Flynn's tunic together. There was a sense of nervousness in the other man's eyes, a vulnerability that said that this was different from the times when they had bathed together or changed in the same room as fellow knights. Yuri leaned in to press kisses to the skin that was exposed beneath his fingers.

In part, Flynn almost wanted to ask Yuri what it was he was doing. Of course, despite his straight-laced nature, it wasn't as though the commandant was completely ignorant of what people did behind closed doors like this; he just could hardly believe that he was doing it at all, or with Yuri of all people. He even worried that maybe it was some elaborate joke. Almost against his will, he spluttered out a warning; "D-don't go losing your nerve partway through,"

Yuri lifted his head, honestly surprised at that comment as he raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh. Flynn was absolutely adorable when he was vulnerable like this. "Since when have you ever known me not to finish something I started?"

That seemed to be reassurance enough for the commandant, and he arched his back, pushing himself up on his elbows to lavish another kiss on the pout of Yuri's lips. It took longer than either man wanted it to to get them both out of their clothes, and when they were done, it was a tangled mess of light and dark on the floor, as stark of a contrast as Yuri's hair as the dark tresses fell over Flynn's pale skin.

What had been Yuri's focused mode of slow and careful preparation had given way to wild, unbridled movements; Flynn's neatly trimmed fingernails dug bright red welts into the other man's skin. The man who was usually so composed crumbled into a cacophony of cries and moans. Yuri and Flynn were a tangle of muscular limbs and scarred flesh, of manifested light and dark.

Yuri's hands held tightly to Flynn's hips as he moved, thrusting into him again and again. Flynn's little cries, barely stifled as he struggled to cover his own mouth with his hand, were the only things that he wanted to hear. Nothing else mattered to him in that moment save for the way that the blond went to pieces the second his lips touched his throat, or the way goosebumps ran over his flesh when he breathed against it.

For Flynn, his mind was entirely gone save for his insatiable need to arch his hips up against Yuri, and fascination with the way he couldn't stop himself from such wanton and base desires, which both disturbed and excited him. His legs wound around Yuri's slender waist, muscles straining with each movement. It seemed as though he could only say one thing coherently; "Yuri, please-"

It was all he wanted in the world, to oblige Flynn's pleas. Yuri's pace increased, his entire body focused on just one goal. As he could feel the blond's muscles tightening and quivering around him, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Flynn's chest, leaving behind a dark purple mark over his heart.

"Let go for me," was what Yuri breathed, his own body trembling with the need for release.

Flynn didn't cry out when he reached his orgasm, but he gasped Yuri's name and went quiet, as though he couldn't process the waves of pleasure gripping him. Yuri himself followed suit a moment later, growling softly at his peak before collapsing against the man beneath him, his cheek pressed to the rhythm of the other's rapid heartbeat.

When Flynn could think again, he reached up to run his hands through Yuri's dark tresses, absently untangling them with his fingertips. As it were, he didn't want this night to end; as cliched as that might sound. Yuri hid his face in the curve of Flynn's neck until long after his breathing had returned to normal. Again, it was time to grapple with his feelings and how to speak them. The most simple and honest response was what he finally settled on going with.

"Flynn, I love you." Somehow it wasn't hard to say at all. Anyone who knew them could look at them and know that, even if they didn't think of it as the kind of love that it really was.

There was a moment's hesitation as Flynn checked himself, as he made sure he wasn't hearing things. "I love you, too."

Hearing that made relief wash over Yuri, as though the fact that Flynn could say it back to him was enough. For the moment, he could cling to the illusion that everything would be alright. Stroking Flynn's hair, the steady heartbeat against his ear lulled him into a deep sleep.


	4. The Festival

The whole of Zaphias was in an uproar; colored lights and flags decorating every rooftop. Celebrating the now lasting alliance between the empire and the gulids was becoming a yearly occurrence. It was surprising how something like an occasion for lots of drinking and singing could bring people together, especially for those who weren't exactly the party type. Flynn Scifo, for example, did not drink. Commandant of the royal guard, his duties were what came first to him- well, almost. Even more important was the young Yuri Lowell; his best friend, lover, and fugitive from the law.

Somehow, that situation had become almost laughable. Yuri was known by the knights as the very savior of their world, and that was fact. The charges against him and the wanted posters were really more of an offhanded formality, and an excuse for Leblanc and the rest of Schwann's men to have something to do for a change. Yuri however, was as fearless as ever and spent many a night sneaking into the palace and in through Flynn's window. At the moment, Brave Vesperia was out on a job; hired by the people of a small town to help fight off a growing threat of monsters from the nearby forest.

Flynn had subsequently taken the time to do a bit of sneaking; something he was not normally very good at at all. In his travels, he had met many interesting people; and one of them was a travelling craftswoman who specialized in jewelry and accessories. Having had some time off for the upcoming festival, Flynn was wandering about the streets reminiscing when he ran into the young woman. She had taken up her own parents' craft, passed down for generations and even surviving the great war.

Lena was glad to see him doing well. She laughed with delight when he told her some of the stories of what had happened since they'd last met, and looked around, fascinated by the flowers in the imperial garden. It didn't take long at all for rumors to start spreading about the guest that Flynn had with him in the palace. It surprised the girl to be invited to a nice place like that at all, and even more so when the Commandant asked her to his quarters. Sitting together at the table, Flynn asked her to show him her wares.

"I didn't think you were the type to be interested in this sort of thing," She hummed thoughtfully, hands working swiftly to lay out several roles of soft velvet, each containing many rings, bangles, and bracelets that she had tooled herself.

Flynn blushed a bit and nodded, a small smile quirking his lips. "I'm not, really. I have no idea what I'm looking for but- the price isn't an issue. It has to be perfect." Lena smiled widely at that, a shared excitement for her friend causing warmth to rise to her cheeks as well.

"Oh- so this is a gift; it's not for you? Oh, goodness, she's a very lucky girl." The young craftswoman was all but squirming in her chair.

"Well it's- uh. Not a girl and. I don't know about 'lucky' but I suppose I can hope that that's how he feels."

Lena looked thoughtful then, nodding before pushing one specific set of rings towards the Commandant. "Take a look at these. I made 'em after the monster in the sky disappeared and I could see my favorite star again."

On that spread were several star-themed rings, but there were two in particular that caught Flynn's eye. One was obviously Brave Vesperia; the traditional shape used to represent it was unmistakable. It was on a robust silver band; some kind of fine crystal that glimmered in its very depths even though there wasn't much light to be had at all. Next to it was a matching piece, a smaller star- though just as iridescent.

"These two ah- can they be sized?" Lena smiled and nodded before taking down the specifications for the re-working of the bands with swift pen strokes on a small notepad she carried with her.

"I can have this done in just a few hours, if you wanna wait! Meet me down in those gardens in a while, okay?" She was already excitedly gathering up her things, thrilled to make sure that the pieces the commandant wanted would be perfect for him and his love.

Flynn wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, but he hardly spent half an hour updating his subordinates before he went straight to the flower garden to wait for Lena's return. Sodia had acted suspicious of him; worrying overmuch like she often did, if only because she didn't remember this girl who was visiting her commandant.

Really, Sodia knew much more than she was letting on. Still, she tolerated Flynn's encounters with Yuri Lowell for his sake and his sake alone. Sometimes, she found herself moved to such rage that she had to pretend that she hadn't heard about Yuri skulking around. Her anger towards him had turned to a sickening bitterness, but she had resolved herself to staying mostly uninvolved.

When Lena came back into the palace, she had two matching dark blue velvet boxes with her, and proudly presented them to Flynn. His nerves, he hoped, would subside then, but that was hardly the case.

"Now that I have the thing, I don't know what to do- ah, how do you even go about all of this? You're supposed to do it on one knee and everything, right?" There was something almost spiritual in the thought of kneeling before Yuri. Lena gave him a spirited grin.

"If you're nervous, why don't you practice? Come on! Charm me if you can, Mister Commandant." She laughed, crossing her arms and looking at the blond expectantly.

It was hard for him to delve into something so imaginative; after all, Lena's sandy colored hair was curly and her green eyes a far stretch from Yuri's grey ones. Taking a moment to collect himself, he carefully lowered himself onto one knee after pocketing the box that contained his own ring. He held up the one he'd had sized for Yuri, doing his best to put his all into it.

"Ah- Yuri. We've been through everything together since we were kids. You've always watched out for me, and I've always been watching out for you. Even though fate took us on different paths... I want our paths to be one again, so would you do me the honor of becoming my husband?" Once he had managed to say it all. Flynn awaited the verdict. There was silence, and then a barely subdued squeal as Lena hugged him around the shoulders, all but vibrating with excitement.

"Oh my goodness, he's going to love this- who could say no to you? I couldn't! If it were me, it'd be a yes!" Somehow, Lena's words had proven to bring a wave of reassurance to the commandant. When Sodia called out to him a few moments later, he nearly jumped out of his skin and tried very hard to act like everything was normal before quickly signing off on some paper work.

That night, he kissed Lena's cheeks and saw her off as she went back to the lower quarter to help prepare for the festival. That nervous feeling remained in his gut long after he had crawled into bed. Flynn was lying awake when he heard the familiar sound of his window scraping open and the sound of Yuri's boots hitting the floor. He scrambled in the darkness to hide the ring box that had been on his bedside table by stuffing it under his pillow as he sat up.

"Yuri!" There was surprise and excitement in his tone; after all, he hadn't thought Brave Vesperia would be getting back for at least another day or two.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." He said coyly, dropping his bag by the bed as he kicked his boots off and leaned his sword in the corner. Right now, Flynn wasn't even thinking about the ring. He just wanted Yuri back in his arms.

"Are you here for the festival?" Flynn asked thoughtfully as he made room in the bed for his lover. Yuri chuckled softly as he crawled in beside him.

"Yeah sure, that's the only reason I came around." He teased before burying his face in Flynn's neck and pulling him into a tight hug that was almost crushing.

Sometimes, he'd be gone for what felt like too long, and Yuri was finding it harder and harder to stand the long weeks of separation when the guild was at its busiest. More and more, the guild leader worried about the way he was changing as he got older and what it meant for his vagabond lifestyle. At the same time, he couldn't deny that he was happier than he could ever remember being; and Flynn was to thank for that.

"Oh, shut up. I mean it though; come to the festival with me." Flynn's voice was low and soft against Yuri's ear.

"What's this? Commandant Flynn wants to... do something fun?!" Yuri gasped theatrically, feigning disbelief.

"I-well- hey, I'm not that bad! And yeah, I want to do something fun, you ass." Yuri knew that he may well have hit a nerve simply due to the fact that Flynn almost never cursed. He dialed back the sarcasm a bit.

"Alright, alright. You know- I'd love to go to the festival with you but...I think it'd be kind of annoying to have to spend the whole time with Leblanc chasing me around." Flynn looked thoughtful at that, scrunching his nose up in the moonlight.

"I'll see what I can do about them. In the meantime don't worry about anything. I want everything to be perfect..." He trailed off, and Yuri wondered what it was exactly that Flynn meant.

For the moment, it didn't matter too much to a foggy, road-weary mind. The journey had been long, and Yuri was tired, and Flynn was right; the next day would be full of festivities. It would be nice to stop worrying so much about being the hooligan consort of the commandant, even if just for a little while- they could just be Yuri and Flynn.

He was asleep before he knew it, and morning's sunlight rays came creeping into the castle with just enough force to make Yuri pry his eyes open. He grumbled and squinted, hiding his head under the pillow in an attempt to gain some solace from the bright light. Yuri's attempt at going back to sleep was thwarted when Flynn abruptly sat up and stretched, his own schedule like clockwork. Yuri, being the spiteful little thing that he was, did his best to pretend to be asleep.

Flynn watched the curve of Yuri's back, muscular but still slender as it rose and fell with his breath. Smiling fondly, the blond reached out and ran his fingers along the small of Yuri's back, curling his fingers in the long dark strands of his companion's hair. After a moment's pause, Flynn shifted closer and curled on his side just to press delicate kisses to the other man's shoulder. At that point, Yuri felt too guilty- as though pretending to be asleep was entirely too dishonest and that Flynn deserved better, and so he shifted and very slowly turned on his side; just as Flynn whispered.

"I love you so much,"

Yuri was quiet, his eyes gentle despite himself. With so many barriers that had once been built between himself and Flynn suddenly and thankfully gone, their relationship had blossomed. Their bond, already unbreakable, had deepened into something far more than friendship. Just as some things had broken down, other things had become reinforced and much stronger. It was like second nature now, to lay his head on Flynn's shoulder, or to take his hand for Yuri. Flynn was a bit more reserved; he might only save their affections for quiet times when he was absolutely sure there would be no prying eyes to see them. With what he was planning, it seemed he wanted to put an end to that sort of shyness for good.

Making their relationship public would mean many things. He wasn't sure exactly what, though. He hoped that it would be a path for him to have Yuri's crimes pardoned. At the same time there was a distant fear that it might harm his rank or at the very worst, see him called an enemy of the state for consorting with the wanted criminal Yuri Lowell. At the same time, those who would have pushed such an agenda were long gone from power, and lord Ioder and lady Estellise would surely see to it that such a thing would never happen; at least Flynn hoped.

With a soft sigh, Yuri pushed himself up on one elbow and pressed several little kisses to Flynn's cheek. Self conscious about his morning breath and all of those other every-day annoyances, Yuri pulled away to hide in Flynn's chest. He knew that it made him feel strong to be able to hold him like this, and Yuri liked to reinforce the blond's confidence when he could. After all, he was still doing his best to keep reminding Flynn that he had to stand on his own two feet.

Reluctantly, Flynn finally got out of bed and went to run a bath for them before calling for breakfast from the palace kitchen. By then, Yuri had at least set up in bed, still rubbing sleep from his eyes as he tried to make his stubborn eyelids stay open.

"Must have been a hard trip... Yuri, are you feeling alright? You're not usually this heavy of a sleeper." Flynn made small talk as he cleared off the table.

Without waiting for Yuri's reply, he padded across the room to his bed and all but hefted the other man up, to drag him out of bed. "Come on. Bath time. You smell like road dust, still." Flynn complained half-heartedly.

Yuri wasn't against the idea at all, and was actually very glad to soak his bones in the big almost overly luxurious bath in the corner. He watched Flynn with big, almost childlike eyes as he stripped to join him.

Yuri rested his head on his knees, arms folded there as he sighed and soaked up the warmth. Was he getting old? Sometimes he thought that was what it is. In the end though, maybe he was already old in ways that didn't count his body. The guild was taking a lot out of him even with the others around to help him run it. It was hard for him to admit that his feelings were changing right along with his relationship with Flynn.

Flynn ran his fingers through Yuri's hair, holding him close as he bathed the other man much like he had done for him years ago. The closeness between them hadn't changed, he thought, and he wondered how it had become something else entirely. Maybe there was a little too much wondering why, at this point.

After a long soak and Flynn fussing over Yuri's long hair, the couple dressed themselves while they picked at the breakfast delivered to their door. Opting for just a bit of toast in order to save his appetite for the festivities outside, the guild leader just picked at some toast before letting his lover pull his hair back into a braid. Flynn had insisted on this new outfit as well, something in black and red with a long cape that made him look like he could almost pass as a noble. When Yuri wasn't looking, the commandant slipped the ring box into his pocket, his own ring already on his hand though it was now under gloves.

The streets were buzzing with excitement, street performers and vendors crowding both sides. Yuri walked happily with his arm locked in Flynn's, strutting almost proudly at his lover's side. The many colored lights up above cast strange colors on everything below even in the day time, and Yuri could feel his heart lightening a good deal. Flynn was drawn to a stand where a baker was selling fresh fruit pastries, and he was quick to get one for each of them.

It was a stupid thing, to feel so much for a treat that he'd eat and forget about in a few hours, but Yuri would never forget that Flynn had remembered what kind was his favorite despite him never having said it directly. With the flavor of strawberries still on his tongue, Yuri followed on Flynn's heels as he passed into a large tent where a number of people were drinking and eating. There- hardly recognizable without the uniforms they were usually wearing, were Sodia and Witcher at a nearby table. Flynn greeted them almost too excitedly. Really, Yuri rolled his eyes a bit, thinking that it was just like Flynn not to be able to make any friends outside of his work environment. Flynn kissed him on the cheek and slipped away, saying he'd be right back with drinks.

Yuri leveled his gaze at Sodia, and she gave him a tight lipped smile in return. Witcher was a bit more personable, at least and gave him a wave. "Still running around on his heels, even after everything?"

He wasn't used to her being so forward; at least not since the time she'd stabbed him and pushed him off of Zaude. Yuri licked his lips, confusion written on his face. "Uhhh... what's this about?"

"I just thought you wouldn't be hanging around so closely anymore now that the Commandant has made his proposal to that girl from the lower quarter." Witcher looked a bit confused at that, but he didn't interrupt.

"You're full of crap," Yuri said with a measure of confidence. He turned to find Flynn coming back through the crowd, a smile on his lips and a mug in each hand. Yuri met his eyes and returned the smile before he looked down and noticed the ring on his left hand.

Flynn didn't wear rings.

It was like a slap to the face; like ice sinking down his throat. For a moment, Yuri felt like he was going to be sick, and then he turned on his heel and he ran.

Ignoring the protests of revelers as he passed by, he searched desperately for somewhere he could hide that no one would look for him; but Flynn knew every one of his hiding spots. Finally, he settled on returning home and locking the door. Repede was curled up in his bed waiting for him as always. Yuri slammed the door shut and flipped the deadbolt before throwing himself against his bed, his knees drawn to his chest. How could he have kept something like that from him?

Yuri was convinced that it was his fault; that he had been completely blind to the truth, and maybe that was it. In the end, hadn't he told himself that he'd want Flynn to find the right person? That he himself was never worthy of standing at his side. Yuri swallowed hard and let the grief overtake him, crying openly into his arms as only Repede had ever witnessed him do. The attack dog crawled into bed with him and simply leaned against his side, offering his warmth as comfort.

Hours passed before there was a frantic knock on his door. "Yuri! Yuri, are you there? Open the door!" Repede jumped up and barked, pacing in front of the door with a wagging tail; he knew Flynn's voice and scent very well.

At first, Yuri tried to pretend like he wasn't there, but he knew that Repede gave him away.

"Yuri please, open the door- this is a misunderstanding, you've got to listen to me!" There was nothing but desperation in his voice. Hearing it was almost physically painful for him. Yuri tore at his hair and hid his face as though that might make the situation disappear.

Flynn had been quiet for almost ten minutes when just his voice came through the door. "Sodia was wrong. She was wrong. It was for you, Yuri. Please, please open the door."

It was hard. Looking at Flynn was honestly the last thing that he wanted; at least it felt that way. It took all of Yuri's strength to get to his feet and cross the room. He didn't open the door, just loudly slid the lock open and step back. Flynn rushed into the room with red-rimmed eyes, his face tear-stained and smudged from the dust kicked up by all of the activity outside. He rushed to Yuri and wrapped his arms around him even though the guild leader remained rigid and unpliable in his arms.

"You're wearing a ring and- she said there was a girl." Yuri said stupidly.

"Yes, yes there was a girl! Her name is Lena and she travels around the continent making accessories; jewelry." Flynn let that sink in for a moment, willing Yuri to comprehend his mistake.

"I asked her to show me her work because I was looking for the perfect set of rings because I want to give my beloved something that's worthy," Flynn's voice was shaking. "I was waiting for the perfect moment... the perfect moment to give you yours."

Yuri felt that wave of sickness in his stomach all over again, now because of how miserably stupid he felt for jumping to such a conclusion. It was true what they said then, about love making you crazy. He hung his head, unable to meet Flynn's eyes.

"I'm an idiot,"

"Yuri, there is no one but you. In all my life, there has never been anyone but you." Still, the commandant's voice trembled with emotion.

Unable to support himself properly, Flynn sank down on his knees and looked up at Yuri as he reached into his pocket and drew out the little box. He opened it and presented the glinting crystal ring to the other man.

"I'm begging you. Yuri, stay with me. Our paths that once split apart... let them be one and the same again."

Yuri let out a miserable noise, every bit of himself wanting him to hate himself; to blame himself like he always did. But here was Flynn on his knees like he always was; understanding in his own way, always supporting Yuri; always forgiving him.

"You think I'd want anything more than that? There's not a damn thing in the world I'd like more than that." He took the ring and slipped it onto his finger. For a moment, he wondered how Flynn had been able to know his ring size so easily- but he was too busy pulling the other man up from the floor and holding him tight.

A few moments had passed when Yuri heard familiar voices. There were at the very least, Karol and Rita. As soon as he'd realized what he was hearing, Rita slammed the door wide open, causing Repede to snarl and raise his hackles as the whole of Brave Vesperia crowded around the door on the small balcony. Yuri blinked stupidly, obviously very embarrassed by the entire ordeal. Estelle pushed her way through the group, expression expectant.

"Well?"

"He said yes!" Was Flynn's response. Yuri wondered how he had let this entire thing spiral out of his control, but he decided that it wasn't a bad thing at all. He looked at the ring on his finger and then to his friends, wincing when Rita whacked him in the head.

"Oh come on, what were you thinking going and bailing like that? Don't you know that your poor loverboy's been planning this for like- ever? Shame on you, Yuri Lowell." She was scolding him loudly the entire walk back down the stairs. Judith had a strangely serene smile on her face; as though hearing Rita's ranting and raving was a sign that everything was right with the world.

"Man, oh man- I guess this is a super good thing I mean; Yuri, this is like. The ultimate deal of solidarity for the guilds and the knights! What a great political move!" Karol was maybe a little bit off-the-mark, but at the very least, he was starting to get some hang of the way things worked. Being a guild leader had really seen the young man grow up fast.

At that point, Yuri could barely remember the sick feeling in his stomach from before; it was entirely replaced by butterflies and a nervous excitement as the guild (and even the usually reserved Flynn) paraded through the main street, announcing the good news:

There was going to be a wedding.


End file.
